A movie about being stuck for five days is a challenge to any screenwriter. More than half the film takes place between a rock and a hard place (as the book is called) but the result is pretty good. Probably because there’s a developement – things continue to happen while he’s stuck. Part imagination, part real. And it’s exciting to see a person trying to deal with the madness that comes when you realize that you won’t come loose. James Franco is good, with adrenaline as a natural part of the character, and this is mostly his film. But the best thing about the film is still the photo. The surroundings in the stone desert are beautiful, and the film is consistently using a close-up camera that captures the intensity of the main character. Since we know how it ends – it’s based on a real event – the final is liberatingly quick. But I could be without the corny final note: the guy is still a mountaineer (with one arm) – but always leaves a note where he’s going.